Ermalene Talon and the Hall of Ancestors - Book One

Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley

Andy and Ermalene found themselves apparated on a street corner in London, traffic so busy rushing by that they went without noticing the sudden snap-pop of their appearance. The feeling of the apparition wearing off, Ermalene looked about as she reoriented herself with their surroundings. A great rush of excitement ran through her when she read the steadily creaking sign overhead, a squeal of joyousness squeezed from within her. "Oh my stars," she gasped, "Andy... Andy, look, it's the Leaky Cauldron!"

"I know," he laughed, "I'm the one who's apparated us here, aren't I?" he asked - or meant to ask, he didn't get the words out all of the way before Ermalene had grabbed hold of his wrist and yanked him along behind her as she rushed through the doors of one of the oldest wizard establishments in London.

Inside, Ermalene could not contain her awe. All around, witches and wizards sat at tables with goblets of mead and bottles of butterbeer, dressed openly in their cloaks and hats, owls perched upon the backs of chairs, none of them concerned with the Statute of Secrecy. She stared, slack-jawed, as a couple of men leaned back in chairs, smoking from pipes, spitting out smoke rings as playing cards levitated before their eyes as they played some wizarding form of poker that featured miniature dragons which crawled about the table. An old wizard and a young witch played wizard chess in another corner, and a barmaid walked by, waving her wand as plates of food followed behind her. "Pardon me, coming through," she sing-songed as she passed Ermalene and Andy in the doorway.

"Oh my stars, oh my stars," murmured Ermalene, her heart pounding a tattoo against the inside of her ribcage. It was almost too much to take in.

Andy smiled apologetically at an old hag whose scowl and glare clearly depicted her dislike for Ermalene's enthusiasm, and he quickly took hold of her shoulders and steered her away, "Come on, this way," he said, guiding her to the brick wall that lined the back of the room. Glances came their way from the bar, the barman keeping an eye on them as they passed.

"Ohhhh, Diagon Alley," squealed Ermalene, "Which bricks do you have to touch to make the passageway appear?" she asked eagerly, jumping foot to foot like a child.

Andy grinned, amused by her excitement, and, without verbally answering, pressed his wand to the bricks. One by one, they seemed to leap back and the wall receded, revealing the archway exactly as Ermalene had always imagined it would. She was about to marvel at the archway's appearance, but before she could say a word about the seamless departure of the bricks, her eyes fell upon her first look at the bustling entity that was Diagon Alley and her breath was stolen away from her lungs.

"Oh. My. Stars."
Everywhere she turned her eyes, there was something new and amazing to look at.

Andy held out his hand. "Let me show you around," he offered.

She took his hand, their palms pressed together, and he laced his fingers through hers. Ermalene's heart might've been beating fast with excitement, but so was Andy's as he led her along the cobblestoned street, he thought that nothing in the world - not even a full vial of Felix Felicious - could feel as marvelous.

"There's Eeylop's Owl Emporium," Andy pointed at a window filled with birds behind a feather-strewn sidewalk. Ermalene thought fleetingly of the fact that she'd yet to send an owl home to tell Matthew and Caterina she was okay. She'd do that later, when they returned to Shell Cottage, she promised herself.

"There's Quality Quidditch Supplies. They're the largest Quidditch retailer in the world... Last time we came, mum and I saw one of the beaters of the Chudley Cannons in there getting a new bat." Ermalene marveled at the shop, the window fashioned with magical atmosphere, a broom swooping among clouds of it's own accord to the delight of a gaggle of children watching and pointing from the street. "There's Gringott's, of course," Andy waved at the looming white marble bank. "See that part there, up at the top? You can tell the difference in the marble from the repairs they've done since the dragon escaped up there. Grampa Bill told me all about the reconstruction process; he was a part of it, after You-Know-Who was defeated."